Outgoing Chicago Public Schools Chief Education Officer discusses future of CPS: 'Time to step out'

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Public School CEO Pedro Martinez leaves next month. His second in command will leave at the same time.

ABC7 spoke with CPS' Chief Education Officer on Friday.

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An immigrant from Bulgaria, Bogdana Chkoumbova was new to the United States and the classroom when she began her Chicago Public Schools career as a special education teacher 24 years ago.

Chkouumbova worked her way up to become the CPS' Chief Education Officer, second in command to the CPS CEO.

"As leaders we need to know when it is time to step in and when it is also time to step out," Chkoumbova said.

For Chkoumbova, now is the time to step out. She will leave the district at the end of the school year, the same time CPS CEO Pedro Martinez is leaving after Mayor Brandon Johnson's hand-picked school board fired him last December.

Chkoumbova urges the mayor to make a decision soon on who will lead the nations fourth largest school district.

"The sooner decisions are made and transitions are announced this will actually project a more confidence for our principals, teachers students," Chkoumbova said.

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The school year ends next month, yet Chkoumbova says the mayor has not given CPS leaders any information about a transition plan.

The CEO's job posting was made public a week ago. The mayor did not answer directly why it took so long and when a CEO, whether interim or permanent, will be named.

"Ultimately, what that job is going to do is carry out the vision that I ran on is having a that is financially stable and investing in our classroom," Johnson said.

Chkoumbova is hopeful the district's next leaders will build on graduation rate gains and growth in academics, but Chkoumbova admits there is a long way to go.

"Students must perform on grade level, the district is far from that goal," Chkoumbova said.

Chkoumbova says to reach that goal, the answer is not pouring resources only into all schools, a direction the mayor and the Chicago Teachers Union have pushed for years. Chkoumbova says what is needed is more accountability and listening to parents, students and experts within CPS.

"Right now the voices of the educators in the system are not front and center there are a lot of political opinions financial debates that are also politically charged," Chkoumbova said.

Chkoumbova did not say what is next in her career. CEO Martinez is taking the job as Massachusetts education commissioner. The Massachusetts secretary of education must give final approval for Martinez to get his new job.

To replace him, the school board is requiring the mayor appoint someone with a superintendent's license.